Pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus.



J. G. MAGLAREN. PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.11, 1907.

Patented July 9, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co wnsfl J. G. MAGLAREN.

PNEUMATIG DESPATOH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.11, 1907.

1,031,800. Patented July 9, 1912.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 2 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CUUWASHINGTON. 'J. C.

showing the parts in open or operating posi- "UNT s s JAMES G. MACLAREN, OF WEEHAWKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO LAMSON CON- SOLIDATED STORE SERVICE COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PNEUMATICDESPATCH-TUBE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJuly 9, 1912.

Application filed November 11, 1907. Serial No. 401,594.

lowing 1s a specification.

My invention relates toimprovements in pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, and particularly to that class known as the all sealed system wherein a normally closed air valve is located in that part of the system most remote from communication with the exhauster or source of power, and which air valve is adapted to be hydraulically operated, upon the despatching of a carrier, to open to admit air to the system for driving said carrier and which valve is automatically operated to close and shut off the flow of air to the system when the carrier has delivered.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated a construction embodying my invention in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a pneumatic tube system embodying the device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the controlling mechanism with parts broken away showing same in normal or closed position. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2

t1on.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

' Referring to Fig. 1, A represents a tube for the transmission of carriers from the central station C to the sub-station S and connects the bell-mouth B at said central station C with the terminal D at the substation S controlled by the ordinary delivery valve D.

E is a transmission tube for the return of carriers and connects the terminal D at the sub-station S with the terminal F at the central station 0.

B is an ordinary carrier inlet valve for the insertion of carriers into the bell-mouth B and E isia similar inlet valve ,for inserting carriers into the tube E for transmis- S1011.

G represents the usual vacuum drum or exhauster connected with the terminal F by a pipe G and which drum is adapted to.

normally maintain a vacuum in the tubes A and E.

24 is a tube connected with the bellmouth B, and normally closed by an' air inlet valve 15 and adapted to be opened to admit airto the tubes A and E for driving carriers.

14' is'a weight adapted to normally hold the valve'15closed and 13 is a cylinder mounted above said valve and carrying a piston 13 connected with and adapted to operate said valve through a piston rod 13'.

4 is an opening in tube 24: and normally closed by the valve 3 mounted on the stem 3 secured to the diaphragm 27 which diaphragm is mounted in the casing 25. The lever 6 is pivoted at 6 to an extension on casing 25, the spring 5 acting to press the free end of said lever 6 against a collar 7 on stem 3*.

12 is a pipe connected with the lower end of the cylinder 13 beneath. the piston 13* and also connected with a drain pipe or outlet 23 through a trap 20.

2 is a valve casing interposed between the inlet pipe 11, connected with the pipe 12, and the water supply pipe 10 connected with any suitable source of water pressure, and also between the'pipe 12 and the trap 20. The valves 9 and 19 are mounted in the casing 2 and are secured to the valve stem 82 on'the end of which is mounted a collar 8. The valve 9 normally closes and is adapted to control communicationbetween the supply pipe 10 and pipe 11 and the valve 19 is adapted to cut off communication between pipe 12 and the trap 20 when the valve 9 is open.

26 is a valve for controlling or timing the outlet of water through the pipe 12 and trap 20 when valve 19 is open, and22 is a pipe connecting the upper part of the trap 20 with one end of the valve casing 2.

17 is a lever pivoted at 18 to the upper part of the diaphragm casing 25, the lower end of said lever being adapted to engage and actuate the collar 8 in' certain positions of the mechanism to. be hereinafter described.

The operation is as follows ':Indespatching a carrier from the central station G to the sub-station S, the operator opens the valve B and inserts the carrier into the bell mouth B as shown in Fig. 3 destroying the vacuum in the transit tube A and tube 24: permitting the valve 3, attached to diaphragm 27, to be moved from its seat through spring 5 and lever 6 acting upon the collar 7. The collar 7 in being'moved over by the lever 6 engages the collar 8 moving the valve 9 and placing the pipes 10 and 11 in communication, and moving the valve 19 closing the outlet through pipes 12, 20 and 23. Water under pressure is now admitted through pipes 10, 11 and 12 to the cylinder 13 underneath the piston 13 raising the piston and through rod 13 lifting weight 14 and valve 15. In the meantime the valve B having been closed the air enters the opening 16 driving the carrier through the tube A toward sub-station S. When the valve 15 has opened fully it engages the lever 17 which lever acting against the collar 8 moves the valves 9 and 19 to their normal position closing the water inlet and opening the outlet through pipe 12, trap 20 and pipe 23. The water in the cylinder 13 gradually escapes through 'said outlet being timed by the valve 26 so that the piston 13 and the valve 15 will drop and shut off the admission of air through the opening 16 by the time the carrier has delivered through the valve D at sub-station S. After. the seating of the valve 15 over the opening 16 and the reestablishment of the vacuum in the tube 24, the external air-pressure on the diaphragm 27 will reseat the valve 3 over the opening 4;. The trap 20 is provided to keep the chamber 28 full of water which must be forced through a limited opening 22 by valve 19 into pipes 22 and 23. This provides enough resistance to the movement of diaphragm 27 and valves 9 and 19 to prevent the admission of water to the cylinder 13 by the momentary destroying of the vacuumin the tube 24 upon the delivery of the carrier through the valve D, the opening of the inlet valves B or E being of longer duration allows the escape of the water in chamber 28 and consequently the opening of the valves 9 and 15. The head of water in trap 20 keeps the valves 9 and 19 in normal position. In despatching a carrier from sub-station S to central station C the valve E is opened destroying the vacuum in the tubes A and, 2 1 and the carrier is inserted in the tube E for transmission the operation of the mechanism being identical with that heretofore described when the carrier will deliver at the central station C.

Having thus described my invention and set forth a construction embodying the same, what .I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a pneumatic despatch tube appara-- tus, a normally closed tube for the trans mission of carriers, an exhauster'connected with and adapted to exhaust the air from said tube, a normally closed air inlet valve controlling the admission of air to said tube for driving carriers, hydraulically actuated mechanism adapted to operate upon the despatching of a carrier to open said valve to admit air to said tube for driving carriers, water supply and, exhaust pipes communicating with said hydraulically actuated mechanism, valve mechanism controlling said water supply and exhaust pipes, and mechanism actuated by a fluctuation of the vacuum in the transmission tube for operating said valve mechanism to control the flow of water through said pipes to and from said hydraulically actuated mechanism. V

2. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a normally closed tube for the transmission of carriers, an exhauster connected with and adapted to exhaust the air from said tube, a normally closed air inlet valve controlling the admission of air to said tube for driving carriers, hydraulically actuated mechanism adapted to operate upon the despatching of a carrier to open said valve to admit air to said tube for driving carriers, Water supply and exhaust pipes'communi cating with said hydraulically actuated mechanism, valve mechanism controlling said water supply and exhaust pipes, mechanism actuated by a fluctuation of the vacuum in the transmission tube for operating said valve mechanism to control the flow of water through said pipes to and from said hydraulically actuated mechanism, and means for controlling the water exhaust pipe for timing the closure of said air inlet valve. 7 p

3. In a. pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a normally closed tube for the transmission of carriers, an exhauster connected with and adapted to exhaust the air from said tube, a normally closed air inlet valve controlling the admission of air to said tube for driving carriers, hydraulically actuated mechanism adapted to operate by the insertion of a carrier to open saidvalve to admit air to said tube for driving said carrier, water supply and exhaust pipes communicating with said hydraulically actuated mechanism, valve mechanism controlling said water supply and exhaust pipes, and mechanism actuated by the fluctuation of the vacuum in the transmission tube for operating said valve mechanism to control the flow of water through said pipes to and from said hydraulically actuated mechanlsm.

1. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparacontrolling the admission of air to said tube for driving carriers, hydraulically actuated mechanism adapted to operate by the insertion of a carrier to open said valve to admit air to said tube for driving said carrier, Water supply and exhaust pipes communicating With said hydraulically actuated mechanism, valve mechanism controlling said Water supply and exhaust pipes, mechanism actuated by a fluctuation of the vacuum in the transmission tube for operating said valve mechanism to control the flow of Water through said pipes to and from said hydraulically actuated mechanism, and means for controlling the Water exhaustpipe for timing the closure of said valve.

5. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a normally closed tube for the transmission of carriers, an exhauster connected with and adapted to exhaust the air from said tube, a normally closed air inlet valve controlling the admission of air to said tube for driving carriers, hydraulically actuated mechanism adapted to operate upon the despatching of a carrier to open said valve to admit air to said tube for driving carriers, and Water supply and exhaust pipes communicating With said hydraulically actuated mechanism, valve mechanism controlling said Water supply and exhaust pipes, and mechanism actuated by a fluctuation of the vacuum in the transmission tube for operating said valve mechanism to control the flow of Water through said pipes to and from said hydraulically actuated mechanism.

6. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a normally closed tube for the transmission of carriers, an exhauster connected With and adapted to exhaust the air from said tube, a normally closed air inlet valve controlling the admission of air to said tube for driving carriers, hydraulically actuated mechanism adapted to operate upon the despatching of a carrier to open said valve to admit air to said tube for driving carriers, Water supply and exhaust pipes communicating With said hydraulically actuated mechanism, valve mechanism controlling said Water supply and exhaust pipes, mechanism actuated by a fluctuation of the vacuum in the transmission tubes for operating said valve mechanism to control the flow of Water through said pipes to and from said hydraulically actuated mechanism, and means for controlling the Water exhaust pipe for timing the closure of said valve.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this sixth day of November A. D. 1907.

JAMES Gr. MACLAREN.

Witnesses:

ELSIE MAOLAREN, LOUIS M. LANMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

